Remembering the Life and Legacy of Stan Lee

Our hearts are heavy today as we think about Stan’s passing. We remember his life and the joy his creations brought to so many around the world.

Stan spent a lifetime telling stories that speak to the distance between us, yet show us that good truly can prevail when we stand together. Even through our deepest divisions of race and religion, he never stopped believing in this truth. His Hands of Respect campaign celebrated his vision of strength in diversity and respect as a fundamental human right.

Today we remember the incredible life and legacy of Stan Lee in his own words, published within Stan’s Soapbox in 1968.

Let’s lay it right on the line. Bigotry and racism are among the deadliest social ills plaguing the world today. But, unlike a team of costumed super villains, they can’t be halted with a punch in the snoot, or a zap from a ray gun. The only way to destroy them is to expose them – to reveal them for the insidious evils they really are. The bigot is an unreasoning hater – one who hates blindly, fanatically, indiscriminately. If his hang-up is black men, he hates ALL black men. If a redhead once offended him, he hates ALL redheads. If some foreigner beats him to a job. He’s down ALL foreigners. He hates people he’s never seen – people he’s never known – with equality intensity – with equal venom.

Now, we’re not trying to say it’s unreasonable for one human being to bug another. But, although anyone has the right to dislike another individual, it’s totally irrational, patently insane to condemn an entire race – to despise an entire nation – to vilify and entire religion. Sooner or later, we must learn to judge each other on our own merits. Sooner or later, if man is ever to be worthy of his destiny, we must fill our hearts with tolerance. For then, and only then, will we be truly worthy of the concept that man was created in the image of God – a God who calls us ALL – His children.

Pax et Justitia,

Stan.

Stan’s vision was one of hope. May we together move our world toward his vision by continuing to listen, learn and respect all mankind.